Just earlier this week a new red band trailer for the long-anticipated Bad Santa 2 arrived, and before that another raunchy trailer showed us the vulgarity in store for us from Billy Bob Thornton‘s return to the red suit. But for those who can’t watch those kind of trailers at work, or will be waiting for this movie to his basic cable, a new Bad Santa 2 green band trailer teases the comedy without any of the fun, naughty language or sexual content. But believe it or not, even without the R-rated details, it’s still a pretty funny trailer.

The original Bad Santa did such a great job of balancing salty, sour, bitter, and sweet that it almost looked easy. But with the arrival of Bad Santa 2 this fall, we may get a better look at just how difficult it can be to pull off that trick.

There’s some key talent returning in front of the camera. Billy Bob Thornton returns to star as safecracker / mall Santa Willie Soke, along with Tony Cox as Willie’s partner in crime Marcus and Brett Kelly as Willie’s young friend Thurman Merman. Behind the camera, though, there are some major changes. Mark Waters steps up to the plate as director this time around, replacing Terry Zwigoff who helmed the first film, while Shauna Cross and Johnny Rosenthal step in for Glenn Ficarra and John Requa as screenwriters.

Can they replicate the foul-mouthed hilarity and surprising tenderness of the first film? Watch the NSFWBad Santa 2 trailer below and judge for yourself. Read More »

Since 2003, Bad Santa has become a sort of holiday classic for people who don’t like holiday classics. This pitch-black comedy is everything Christmas movies aren’t supposed to be — crass and mean and completely twisted — which makes it all the more admirable that it manages to be kinda sweet as well. It’s a tricky balance, but one director Terry Zwigoff and writers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa pull off with aplomb.

So what happens when someone tries to recapture that magic 13 years later, without the writers or director who made it work the first time? Well, we’ll find out in just a few months. This fall’s Bad Santa 2 brings back Billy Bob Thornton as self-loathing screwup Willie Soke, along with Tony Cox as his erstwhile partner and Brett Kelly as his young friend. But the director this time is Mark Waters, of Mean Girls fame, and the script comes from Shauna Cross, Doug Ellin, Johnny Rosenthal, and John Phillips. Take a peek at the NSFWBad Santa 2 trailer below.

Billy Bob Thornton was on a Television Critics Association panel for his upcoming Amazon original series Goliath, in which he plays an alcoholic lawyer seeking redemption in a new case. The legal drama was co-created by Boston Legal, The Practice, and Ally McBeal creator David E. Kelley. After the panel, Thornton stayed to talk to reporters further. We asked him about the long-awaited sequel Bad Santa 2, which finds his raunchy department store Santa Claus return 13 years after the original was released.

“I think we pushed it even a little further this time, not only in the sort of dark humor but also in the emotion,” Thornton said. “This one has more of a heart, more of a story you would say, but it also went a little further with some of the nasty stuff.” Read More »

Bad Santa 2 was in on-again, off-again development for so many years that I kind of assumed it’d never happen. But the long-awaited comedy sequel got a shot in the arm last fall when Broad Green Pictures came on board, and now we’re just a few months away from finding out what Willie Soke has been up to for the past 13 years.

Billy Bob Thornton returns as Willie Soke, still a halfway decent thief and a truly terrible mall Santa. Willie’s former partner Marcus (Tony Cox) and Willie’s young buddy Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly) are also back from the first film. New to the cast this time are Kathy Bates as Willie’s tough-as-nails mother, Sunny Soke, and Christina Hendricks as Willie’s latest mark, Diane. Watch the first Bad Santa 2 teaser below. Read More »

Women with Santa fetishes probably aren’t that common in real life (I’m assuming; I do not have any hard data to back this up), but apparently there’s no shortage of them in the Bad Santa universe. After wooing bartender Sue (Lauren Graham) in the original Bad Santa, Billy Bob Thornton‘s Willie Soke will find himself romancing a new woman in the upcoming sequel, to be played by Mad Men star Christina Hendricks. Learn more about Hendricks’ new Bad Santa character after the jump. Read More »

Two movies about two very different men have just been given release dates in fall 2016. Broad Green Pictures has given Bad Santa 2 a prime holiday release during a crowded time at the Thanksgiving box office while Clint Eastwood‘s movie Sully, about the quick, smart actions of pilot Chelsey “Sully” Sullenberger (played by Tom Hanks), will arrive a couple months earlier on the big screen. Get the release dates and what we know about each movie after the jump. Read More »

Billy Bob Thornton‘s Willie Soke is back for Bad Santa 2, as are Tony Cox‘s Marcus and Brett Kelly‘s Thurman Merman. But now the sequel has made its first new addition. Kathy Bates is joining the black-hearted holiday comedy, which will be directed by Mean Girls helmer Mark Waters. More on the Bad Santa 2 Kathy Bates casting after the jump. Read More »

Much like a certain alcoholic department store Santa, Bad Santa 2 has struggled for a long time to get its act together. But at long last, things are starting to look up. Following last week’s news that Billy Bob Thornton is officially set to return as Willie, the holiday comedy sequel has found itself a new director in Mark Waters (Mean Girls). Oh, and Tony Cox (Willie’s partner) and Brett Kelly (the kid) are also coming back. More about the Bad Santa 2 director after the jump. Read More »